Following the rules was over rated anyways
by waterrelic
Summary: Ma Ri had spent her whole life inside the city limits. But she's a girl that longs for adventure, romance, to fight bad guys! But those kinds of things you don't find in boring old Forest City! So when the chance of a life time comes a- knocking will she take the chance?


Ok, well, about… a long time ago- like, before Aang got frozen in a block of ice long time ago- there were five nations that lived in harmony. Earth, Water, Air, Fire, and Nature, or Forest, or Spirit- this element has a lot of names… I guess the proper name would be Spirit, wouldn't it? Well, anyway, once upon a time these spirit benders were immortal- how cool is that, right?

They got this ability because all benders are all connected to their element in some way, and spirit benders were connected to the life force behind the spirits that lived in everything- … But, of course someone had to get greedy… and figure out how to harness this power into a substance- so, basically, an elixir of life. And I bet you can guess the reaction that everyone gave to the news about this! All of the Spirit benders and anyone from any of the Forest Cities had to retreat way far away into a biggest densest forest they could find and hid themselves…

But, cut of from everyone else, this once pure community became corrupt. Their rulers began to use the elixir as a kind of currency; doesn't sound so bad you say? Well, I guess some things can't be explained…

Oh! Before I go any farther, I should tell you, spirit benders still exist- a weaker version from the benders of their past, but they can still bend. I mean- I'm a spirit bender! The only one in my family actually... Oh yeah, I should probably tell you my name huh? Well, hi! My name is Ma Ri Lani. I have two younger siblings: Kai Sato, who's 12, and Nami Lani who's 6. I've only got one parent, my mom: Lani Mona… I should probably stop talking now so we can get on with it, huh?

"Okay Kai, get ready to eat you words!" Ma Ri whispered to herself. Pumping herself up as she stalked her brother. '_Step one; stay at least ten feet away until the attack._' Ma Ri thought, sticking her tongue out of her mouth- a habit of hers when she was thinking hard. '_Step two; make sure to stay away from reflective objects and stick close to the shadows._' She thought. She watched from her perch high above in the trees as Kai bent down to drink some water from a near by spring. '_Ok…. Go!_'

Ma Ri back flipped off the branch and swung down, tilting her body so she would go faster; straight at Kai….

_WHOMP!_

Next thing she knew, Ma Ri was on her back with Kai straddling her waist and pinning her arms above her head. '_Sod… and I thought I had him there…' _Ma Ri thought. Kai smirked down at her while she just glowered up at him.

"Still haven't mastered stealth, big sis?" Kai taunted his long snow white hair glimmered in the dappled sunlight that streamed through the thick canvas of leaves.

Kai, though a year younger than his sister Ma Ri- who was 14, was already a master ninja and spent most of his childhood teaching his clumsy older sister the art of stealth. He was a child prodigy and favored the sword as his weapon of choice when fighting whereas Ma Ri preferred a set of twin twelve inch daggers that she kept sheathed on her at all times.

"Mum wants you." Ma Ri said after Kai finally let her up. He smirked, staring down at his dainty older sister- who, for some reason fancied herself a ninja…

"You forget about the spring's reflective surface, Ma Ri." Kai said as he walked off. Ma Ri puffed her cheeks up in annoyance, sticking her tongue out and making a pig face at his retreating back.

'_I wonder what Nami is doing…?_' Ma Ri thought, debating if she wanted to make the long trek to the other side of the forest where her sister was having her reading lessons, or go sneak up to the Wall…?

Sneaking off to the Wall won out in the end.

The city was surrounded by a mile high wall made up of closely grown trees and shrubs; branches and roots entangled to make an impregnable wall. Children- including Ma Ri- weren't allowed near the Wall, but then, Ma Ri had never been one for following rules. Especially stupid ones like not going near the Wall.

Once the sentries'- the ones who guard the Wall- back was turned, Ma Ri bended a branch to shoot down and wrap itself around her wrist, yanking her up into the canopy. Moving with delicate agility that could only be gained from years of scaling up and down trees, she moved up until her head broke the final layer of leaves. Blinking a couple of times to let her eyes adjust to the sudden raw sunlight, she took in the breath taking view.

Ma Ri felt a smile creep up onto her face as she looked out over the rolling green treetops, a twinkling blue lake peaked out from the trees, winking at her, teasing her, coaxing her to go to the lake…

No matter how much of a dare devil/ risk taker Ma Ri said she was…she had never crossed the Wall. Of course, there had been times where she had indulged the thought- but never acted on it. Ma Ri, just like every other child in the City, had grown up hearing about how vicious the outside world was: famine, war, thugs, disease, etc. and the only way that they were alive was by the Wall that protected the City.

…And Ma Ri wasn't brave enough to want to try to prove them wrong, because there was always that 'if'. What if it was all true…?

Well, that changed when she saw a cloud fly down from the sky with what looked like people on its back, landing at the edge of the lake. That, not even the most cautious person could resist, right? Ma Ri stood there with her mouth hanging open as she watched, '_Must know….' _Was all she could think, so down Ma Ri went. Down, down, down….- well, until she came back to her senses to realize that she was falling and save herself from turning into a human pancake on the forest floor.

Once Ma Ri righted herself, she froze. She was on the other side of the Wall. _She was on the other side of the Wall! All _of her previous curiosity fled her in an instant, Ma Ri had to admit to herself, this was a little out of her depth… The other side of the Wall seemed so much more unforgiving and cold. She looked up at the Wall, on the other side the world felt so much bigger! Ma Ri was used to be able to see the Wall from any part of the City. Now, when she looked about, she could see from horizon to horizon. It made her feel impeccably small…

'_No Ma Ri! You've gotten this far! No turning back now!'_ She scolded herself for her fright. Bending herself up back into the canopy, she ran along the thick branches with perfect precision- and maybe a little help from her bending. With this, she found herself at the edge of the clearing where the lake sat in only a short while, her heart pounding so hard it made her feel sick with apprehension. Staring down at two water tribe kids, and an air nomad '_they're all so young… must be the same age as me and Kai.' _

The air bender had a blue tattoo, and, if Ma Ri could remember correctly, that meant he was a master air bender! '_Oh my Spirit! I'm actually seeing other benders! From other nations!'_ Ma Ri thought excitedly. She bended the branches of the tree she was in to make a type of swing for her to sit on. After getting herself more comfortable, she leaned in closer to where they were setting up camp.

Her heartbeat had slowed down, as she came to terms with what she was doing. '_I'm outside the _Wall_- something nobody has done in hundreds of years- and looking at actual people from _outside _the City limits!'_ Ma Ri thought, glowing with pride at her daring feat. _'And, on the plus _plus_ side, they haven't even noticed I'm here! Think I'm not so good at stealth, eh Kai? Well-' _

Ma Ri's train of thought was cut off as a boomerang collided with her temple. Before she could react her bending left her and she dropped to the ground with a _THUD_.

Universe: 1

Ma Ri: 0


End file.
